Hmo Ins./ Lap Band Fills???

 I need to know if anyone has a HMO ins?  When you go get a FILL do you pay just the co-pay or the co-pay and a hospital bill each time you get a fill?? This is really making me worry I want the Lap Band but I wont be able to afford the co-pay and a $100.00 bill each time I go.

Also for those of you that have had the Lap Band how often do you go for a fill and does it get to a point that your set and don't go for a while?? Someone please help answer my questions!!

Thanks Jen

Why would you have a hospital bill?  My doctor does the fills in his office.  Where does your doctor do his?  My docotor does a program fee no matter the insurance and you pay $250 which covers the first year.  It covers all of the first years fills up to 6, your weight ins, doctor apts and dietian apts.

Jen --

Lots of people lose insurance coverage or plans change.
Please fully understand what your doctor's protocol is for fills -- and what they will cost you (it will vary widely) if you have insurance --- or if you don't have insurance.

We see alot of people here on this board who have had insurance changes and can not afford to maintain their bands ---- bands are usually pretty useless without proper maintenance.

I had fills every 3 - 4 weeks for the first several months (probably 6 fills in that timeframe).
Then, had follow up and/or fills every 6 - 8 weeks for a while -- then every 4 months - now, twice a year.

I am self-pay -- so I pay only 50.00 for an appointment and then 50.00 more if I get a fill or unfill.
Some surgeons will only put in 1/4 - 1/2 cc at a time or 1cc at a time -- and it can take 5 - 8 fills to be properly adjusted.

When I got to my goal weight, I thought that would be the end of fills, but I have recently had problems with ulcers and reflux and I have had to have a recent unfill -- and may go in for another one soon.

The band can be alot of work -- and alot of money ---- make sure you know what you are getting in to.

I was going to reply to the OP, until I came across your very informative reply

My insurance was great when I got my band placed in Feb. 11 but changed completely on July 11 and now I have to pay everything out of pocket until we reach our very high deductible.  I love my band but looking back on insurance issues now, I wish I would have opted for the sleeve (only due to the up keep of the band).

Thanks for all the info... The doctors office is actually at St. Marys Hospital, so I think that being it would be a OUT PATIENT visit :( I will have to contact the office and see how that works with them... Maybe they will have a program fee as well that would be nice.

I have BCBS and I only pay the co-pay of $50 for each visit fill or no fill.  I got the first 3 months of fills free with my insurance and then I had to pay the co-pay.  That's it.

Seriously find out what your out of pocket expenses would be without insurance because this is exactly what happened to me. I had great insurance BCBS of ILL and they were awesome, then our retirement plan switched to a different insurance and cut all kinds of coverage, like anything to do with bariatric surgery! All of a sudden I had to pay $225 for every fill and unfill!!! I put out well over $1000 out of pocket for this until I just couldn't afford it anymore and ended up getting totally unfilled because I had so much trouble with restriction. So now I'm right back where I started 4 years ago!

I needed fills roughly every 15lbs lost. Once you get to goal, you grnerally don't need any more.

Kate